ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Functional alpha1- and alpha2-adrenoreceptor subtype pharmacology was characterized in an in vitro human nasal mucosa contractile bioassay. METHODS: Nasal mucosa was obtained from 49 donor patients and mucosal strips were placed in chambers filled with Krebs-Ringer solution and attached to isometric force transducers. RESULTS: Nonselective a-adrenoreceptor agonists epinephrine, norepinephrine, and oxymetazoline produced concentration-dependent contractions of isolated human nasal mucosa (pD2 = 5.2, 4.9, and 6.5, respectively). The alpha2-adrenoreceptor agonist BHT-920 (10 microM)-induced contractions were blocked by yohimbine (0.01-1 microM) and prazosin (0.01-1 microM) inhibited the contractile response to the alpha1-adrenoreceptor agonist phenylephrine (10 microM). Histological analysis showed that phenylephrine and BHT-920 differentially contracted the arteries and veins of human nasal mucosa, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that functional alpha1- and alpha2-adrenoceptors are present and functional in human nasal mucosa. The alpha2-adrenoceptors display a predominant role in contracting the veins and the alpha1-adrenoceptors appear to preferentially constrict the human nasal arteries.
Subject(s)
Nasal Mucosa/blood supply , Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha/physiology , Adrenergic alpha-Agonists/pharmacology , Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists/pharmacology , Adult , Aged , Arteries/physiology , Epinephrine/pharmacology , Female , Humans , In Vitro Techniques , Male , Norepinephrine/pharmacology , Oxymetazoline/pharmacology , Prazosin/pharmacology , Turbinates , Vasoconstriction/drug effects , Veins/physiology , Yohimbine/pharmacologyABSTRACT
It has been suggested that the rat is relatively more susceptible to toxicity induced by inhibitors for type 4 cAMP-specific phosphodiesterase (PDE4). In this study designed to elucidate possible biochemical basis for the higher susceptibility, we compared PDE4 expression levels and their functional relevance among rats, monkeys and humans. In several toxicologically relevant tissues and blood leukocytes, the mRNA expression levels of PDEs 4A, 4B, 4C and 4D were significantly higher in rats than in humans. We confirmed that higher PDE4 expression levels were correlated with a higher enzyme activity level in rat leukocytes. The PDE4 enzyme activity level of leukocytes in monkeys fell between that of rats and humans. Functionally, the potencies of the PDE4 inhibitors rolipram, SB 207499 and SCH 351591 in inhibiting tumor necrosis factor production from leukocytes were in the following order: rat > monkey > human. In addition, rolipram was about 10-fold more potent in rats than in humans in inhibiting phenylephrine-induced contraction of renal artery. These inhibitors were confirmed to be highly selective for PDE4 in comparison to all other PDE families, and to inhibit rat and human PDE4s with identical potencies. Taken together, these results suggest that the higher susceptibility of rats to PDE4 inhibitor-induced toxicity might be due to their higher expression levels of PDE4, and that PDE4 inhibitors may be safer in humans than in monkeys and, particularly, rats.